And yes, I'm scared. Again.

Tuesday, November 12, 2013
6:59 PM

I'm
not even sure I have the words here. On my mind today has been the
news of a 16 year old boy at our local high school, struck and killed
by a car minutes after being dropped off this morning. And just weeks
ago a little girl at our elementary darted out in front of a car and was
hit, taken to the hospital, but she was fine.

And
I don't know why some people end up fine and others don't. I don't
know why some people have to be hit by cars and some people have awful
illnesses. And some people are fine.

I've
always been a worrier about my kids and have touched on my fear of
loss a bit on here in previous posts. And it's not a little bitty fear,
either. It's kinda always there. In a big way. Because now that I have the best and greatest gifts I have ever been
given, I'm always in the back of my mind thinking that it could all
go away in an instant. We're all just a phone call from our knees, I
heard a particular song say.

So
what should I tell my kids when bad things happen? And what will be the
answer when they one day ask the age old question about why God allows
bad things to happen? Because we pray for safety and protection all the
time. Is that giving the boys the sense that God is a superhero that
stops all the pain and suffering and the bad surprises? Because I actually think
God is kind of a super hero. But he's not in the business of
preventing all our troubles. I also don't think he's in the business of
creating or even allowing our troubles. But I do think he is in
the business of being there when trouble strikes. And it will. The
Bible says we will experience suffering. So if you haven't yet, just
hang on.

And yes, I'm scared. Again. Because I get into a
false sense of security and roll along with our normal. And I catch
myself expecting the normal of today to continue tomorrow.

So
what to do? Pray without ceasing, #1. Pray for healthy minds and
hearts and bodies. Pray for protection to be poured out all over those
kids and ourselves each day and then hope for the best.

And
when tragedy strikes..... I will hope that I did all I could as a parent
to prevent and protect and teach and love and take advantage of every
opportunity for togetherness that I was given.

And I've said this before... I hope that I'm teaching the boys as if I
won't be here tomorrow. And loving the boys as if they won't be here
tomorrow. Because today is proof that our realities can change in the
blink of an eye.